Combined drafting board and easel



Feb. 19, 1957 L. A. cuTRow COMBINED DRAFTING BOARD AND EASEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1954 INVENTOR:

W 62. Maw: BY

Feb. 19, 1957 L. A. CUTROW 2,781,608

COMBINED DRAFTING BOARD AND EASEL Filed April 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent COMBINED DRAFTING BOARD AND EASEL Leonard A. Cutrow, Los Angeles, Calif, Application April 2, 1954, Serial N0. 420,620

6 Claims. (CL 45- 131) This invention relates generally to stands, props and supporting frames and particularly to a combined drafting board and easel unit. Specifically, the invention is concerned with an adjustable support or stand having particular utility when supporting a drafting board in various selected positions of inclination and when used as an easel for holding an artists canvas or board in a substantially erect position, the unit being readily convertible from a drafting board to aneasel, or vice versa, to adapt it for either purpose.

Various frames, stands, props, etc'., are employed for supporting drawing boards upon which drawings and other illustrations are composed. It is desirable that the board be mounted. for angular adjustment so that the draftsman may reach all parts of the drawing with convenience, that is, without requiring excessive stretching to reach upper portions of the drawing, it being frequently desirable to tilt the board to a nearly upright position to enable the draftsman to work at upper edge portions of the drawing paper while remaining seated on a chair or stool.

Tripod easels and other frames or supports are commonly employed by artists when sketching and painting. Such conventional easels rest upon the floor and for this reason their use is limited. That is to say,-in certain instances it is desirable that the paintings or other works he supported upon a table in a vertical, or sharply inclined position, some artists preferring to prop up their canvases on a table for convenience; Whileit is possible to support a canvas or the like'uponan angularly adjustable drawing board frame; placed upon a table, such a frame is not designed to'permit mounting of the canvas in a plane disposdjoutwtudly of the forwardedge of the table'while at the same time permitting convenient ivotal adjustment of the canvas when-suchis desired. It

is thus apparent that while portablean'd adjustable drawing board supports'are suitable for making drawings, they are unsuitable when painting canvases or the like where it is desirable that the upright canvas be adjustable positioned forwardly of the supporting table with the bottom edge of the canvas normally located below the top of the table.

Adjustable frames have been proposed' for meeting'the requirements of draftsmen, many such prop-like frames now being in use for supporting'drafting boards'in different selected angular positions directly upon'a table. In such conventional. drawing board frames, it is necessary to readjust the setting of the prop elements to allow tilting of the board to a greater or lesser angle and this results in inconvenience and confusion-which'often leads to displacement of pencils, instruments and other objects from the table.

it is therefore anobjeetof'this-invention'to obviate the difficulties referred to above by providing a drawing board and frame therefor in which the frame is hinged tov the drawing board, or vice versa; and is composed of relatively hinged sections, the-hinge connections between legs of these sections and the working edge of the drawing board providing relatively pointed feet for resting upon the table to support the drawing board in a stable manner. In accordance with another feature and object of the invention, the legs of the frame section hinged to the drawing board provide laterally-spaced rests and together constitute'a platform adapted to seat throughout its area upon the table. By his provision, the drawing board and frame unit may be adjusted to any selected angular setting for normal drafting use with the lower edge of the board and the hinge joint of the articulate frame sections resting upon the table. In the event that it becomes necessary to work at areas of the drawing adjacent the upper edge of the board'this may, according to this invention, be conveniently achieved by simply drawing the entire unit forwardly to cause the lower edge portion of the board to ride over the edge of the table, whereupon the platform pivots downwardly to rest directly upon the table. Thus, the drawing board is tilted upwardly to a greater degree to bring its upper edge portion closer to the draftsman,

Another object of the invention is to provide a Work board and frame unit, of the character referred to, in which the sections of the articulate frame are hinged together at a point remote from the lower edge of the effect, a' triangle with the board forming the basethere-' of. Thus, by varying the included angle between the frame sections, the angle of inclination of the board is varied proportionately to meet the requirements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, yet highly practical and conveniently operable means for adjusting the angularity of the frame sections, this means preferably consisting of slotted links pivoted to one of the frame sections and clamping screw means on the other frame section extending through the slots of the links and adapted, when tightened, to clamp the links against said other frame section so as to rigidly retain the frame sections in adjusted positions which will cause the drawing board to assume selected inclined settings. Another important object of the invention is to provide a supporting stand or frame which, by a very simple adjustmerit, can be converted from a drawing board unit adapted for drafting, illustration and photographic retouching work, etc., to a more" or less upright holder, in the nature of an easel, adapted for holding an artists canvas or the like, and to be re-converted from an easel to a drafting board unit,'as desired. According to an object of the invention, the stand or frame is readily convertible to an easel-type support by simply interposing between the free end'of the pivoted frame section and the support board a-prop or brace rod. By this provision, the board, angul-arly-related frame sections and the prop together form a quadrilateral and, since the adjacent sides'of this figure are connected by the adjusting links, the severalcomponents are held against relative pivotal movement and a stable structureis produced. Also, by this means,

the easel board is positioned outwardly beyond the edge 3 desirable to enable the artist to work along the lower edge of the canvas, without stooping, while he assumes a sitting position. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined portable drafting board and easel which can be conveniently folded to a'compact, flat condition with the articulated frame disposed flat against the back side of the board so that the entire unit may be carried under an arm or readily stored in a narrow space or transported in an automobile. A related object is to provide such a foldable and portable unit in which the frame sections are adapted to pivot relative to each other into coplanar relation and to be locked in this position by means of the adjusting links and clamping bolts, the two-sectional frame then being foldable against the back side of the board and retained in this position by snap-fasteners or other latching means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a work board unit of the type indicated in which the prop or brace rod is pivotally connected to the two-part frame or stand to adapt it to be extended into operative position to engage the work board when an easel type support is desired, and to be retracted from such operative position when the board is to be used wholly upon the table for drafting and similar purposes. This objective is attained by pivotally connecting a loop end of the prop rod to an eye on the frame or stand, the rod having a bent, free end receivable in an eye or keeper at the back side of the board, the frame having a recess or hole into which the bent end of the rod is insertable to releasably retain the latter in its inoperative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined drafting board and easel unit, of the class referred to, which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture, one which is strong and durable, one which is easily adjusted to set the board at different angles to meet the requirements, and one which is readily convertible to either a drafting board or an easel, as desired.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description and from the drawings which are intended for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present work support, showing it adjusted for use as a drafting, or similar, board and supported wholly upon the table;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the board as having been drawn forwardly to locate its lower edge outwardly beyond the edge of the table, this movement causing the board to tilt to a position which enables the draftsman to more easily reach the upper portion of the board;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the frame-like support for the board adjusted to effect greater inclination of the board to a more erect position for use as an easel;

Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the easel unit as having been drawn forwardly to cause the backing board or holder to' assume a nearly vertical plane forwardly of the edge of the table;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the drafting unit shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which the frame is adjusted to vary the inclination of the drafting board;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the easel unit shown in Fig. 4, showing the backing board or support for an artists canvas adjusted to various positions;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the unit in its compact, folded condition for carrying and storing;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of the frame or stand, illustrating the hook-like prop rod or connector in its retracted, inoperative position;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a rear elevational view of the frame, showtil ing an alternative means for locking the parts of the frame in adjusted positions.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the combined drafting board and easel unit includes essentially a rectangular work board 15 which, when the unit is used by a draftsman may be regarded as a drawing board, and when used by artists or illustrators as a support for their canvases or other sheet material may be considered an easel back parallel legs 23 connected by a cross member 24, the

latter being pivotally connected to the back of the board 15 by means of spaced hinges 25. The rear frame section 22 also has legs 27 connected by a transverse member 28. The free ends of the legs 27 are pivotally connected to the corresponding ends of the legs 23 by means of hinges 29.

By the hinge connections referred to above, the front frame section 21 is adapted to be pivoted relative to the board 15 and the rear frame section 22 may be pivoted relative to the section 21 to adjust the angularity therebetween with. the included angle either acute or obtuse, in the manner and for the purpose to be presently explained. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the hinge connection 25 is located at a distance from the lower edge of the board 15 which is approximately one-third the height of the board. It is also to be observed from these views that the board 15 is adapted to rest against the upper end or cross member 28 of the frame section 22. i

The invention provides a simple and practical means for relatively adjusting the frame sections angularly and locking them in selected positions of adjustment. This means preferably consists of a pair of adjusting links 33 each having an end pivotally connected against the outer side of one of the legs 23 by suitable means, such as screws 34. At their opposite free ends, the links 33 have elongated openings 35. Referring to Fig. 8, the legs 23 carry bolts 36 having threaded ends which project laterally through the elongated openings 35. Wing nuts 37 are screwed onto the ends of the bolts 36 and are set up against the links 33 to clamp the latter against washers 38 at the outer sides of the legs 23, lock washers 39 serving to resist loosening of the nuts. It is thus seen that by loosening the clamping nuts 37 the links 33 are released so that angular adjustment of the frame section 22 is possible. After the section 22 has been adjusted to a selected angle, relative to the section 21, the nuts 37 are re-tightened to lock the sections in their selected positions.

Assuming that the board 15 is to be used for drafting purposes, as a base or support for a sheet of drawing paper upon which the design or layout is to be drawn, the paper is applied to the upper surface of the board in the usual manner. The angle to which the drawing board should be set depends upon several factors, namely, the size of the drawing to be produced, the height of the draftsman and the table upon which the board is supported, the height of his chair or stool, whether the draftsman is to assume a sitting or standing position, and other conditions.

With the draftsman seated before the board 15, he may find that greater ease and efliciency may be effected when the unit is adjusted to cause the board to assume the inclined position shown in Fig. l, and in full lines in Fig. 5. As previously indicated, to adjust the board to the selected angle or slope, the wing nuts 37 are loosened and the frame section 22 is pivoted relative to the section 21 to increase or decrease. the included angle therebetween.

As shown in Fig. 1, when the unit is to be. used, as a drafting board, it is set up upon the table T with the lower edge 16 of the board 15 and the rearward hinge portionsv 29 of the legs 23. of the frame section 21 resting upon the table, and with the, board resting against the upper cross member 28 of the frame section 22. Now, as the section 22 is tilted upwardly or downwardly, the board 15. is likewise caused to slope at a correspondingly greater or lesser angle, the broken lines in. Fig. 5 indicating typical adjustments. With the board 15 thus adjusted to a selected angle, the wing nuts 37 aretightened to. lock the parts in their adjusted positions.

If, at any time, it is desired to change the slope of the drawing board, the procedure outlined above, is followed to change the angularity between the frame sections 21 and 22 and thereby the angle of inclination of the board on the table. It is sometimes desirable to tilt the drawing board upwardly to a greater angle, for example when it becomes necessary forthe draftsman to work at areas adjacent the upper edge of the board. In order to facilitate such work, Without requiring readjustment of the frame sections 21 and 22, it is only necessary for the draftsman to pull the board 15 forwardly. The lower edge 16 of the board 15 is thus caused to slide outwardly and downwardly over the edge of the table T, the unit coming to rest with the frame section 21 resting throughout its length upon the table surface as illustrated in Fig. 2. With the board moved toward the draftsman and tilted to a greater angle, access to the upper portion of the board is readily achieved. When drawing is to be again performed adjacent the lower edge of the board, the unit is returned rearwardly to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The unit may be used as an easel-type holder or support for an artists canvas or similar sheet which should assume a substantially erect position. The unit, as thus far described, is incapable of tilting the board to such a position but the invention contemplates the provision of means for converting the unit to an easel-type support wherein the board may be set substantially erect. To attain this desired result, the unit is provided with a prop or link rod 40 having a loop 41 at one end which extends through a screw-eye 42 carried at the lower edge of the cross-member 28 (Fig. 9). The other end of the rod 40 has a bent end or hook 43 which is adapted to be hooked through an eye 44 fastened against the back of the board 15.

To adjust the unit for use as an easel, it is placed in a position where its frame section 21 rests upon the table T and the lower portion of its board or easel 15 is located outwardly beyond the edge of the table. The prop or rod 40 is next hooked through the eye 44 (Fig. 4), after which the frame section 22 is pivoted angularly to adjust the inclination of the board, the wing nuts 37 then being tightened. By manipulating the section 22, the board may be caused to assume the true vertical position shown by full lines in Fig. 6 or any of the inclined positions shown in Fig. 4 and by broken lines in Fig. 6. To facilitate reaching lower portions of the canvas on the easel, the entire unit may he slid rearwardly and upwardly onto the table T to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 so as to simultaneously elevate and tilt the board 15.

To convert the unit to a drafting board, the rod 40 is simply unhooked from the board 15 to allow the latter to be pivoted downwardly to rest directly upon the upper edge 28 of the frame section 22, as shown in Fig. 1. At this time, the easel rod 40 is pivoted to a position where it underlies the cross member 28 and its hook end 43 is forced upwardly into a detent hole 47 (Fig. 9) to be frictionally retained therein.

As previously indicated, the combined drafting board and easel is portable to adapt it to be conveniently moved from place to place. To facilitate carrying the unit or storing it in a narrow space, the unit is folded that as shown in- Fig. 7. To. effect this result, the thumb nuts 37 are loosened and the section 22 is hinged into coplanar relation with the section 21 to provide the rectangular frame 20 which is then pivoted on the hinges 25 and folded flat against the back of the. board 15. The unit is thus reduced to one of relatively thin fiat shape to adapt it to be carried under an arm, slid into a drawer or other narrow storage space or placed in a relatively fiat shipping carton.

It is desirable that the frame or stand 20, be releasably retained in its retracted position against the board and the invention provides means for accomplishing this result. This retaining means may take various forms, such.

as the snap-fasteners 50 illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In this embodiment, one element 51 of each snap-fastener is mounted against the back of the board 15 and the other element 52' is carried by the member 28 of the frame 20' and is adapted to engage the element 51 when the frame is folded against the board to retain the parts in their inoperative relation.

The invention further contemplates an alternativemeans for locking the frame sections 21 and 22 in their selected positions of angular adjustment, this modified means being shown in Fig. 11. The locking means consists of a rod 55 which extends through aligned holes in the side rails, 27 of the section 22 and through the elongated openings 35 of the adjusting links 33. One end of the rod 55 is held non-rotative in one of the sides 27 and has a head 56 engaging one of the links 33. The other end of the rod 55 is threaded to receive a thumb nut 57 which is tightened to lock the sections 21 and 22 in various positions of angular adjustment. By this means, the clamping nut may be manipulated by one hand, leaving the other hand free to adjust the frame sections.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein outlined the principle of the invention and described what I now consider to represent a preferred construction of the combined drafting board and easel. It will be apparent, however, that various modifications might be made in the structure without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combined adjustable drafting board and artists easel, comprising: a board adapted as a supporting base for a drawing, painting canvas or the like; a two-sectional frame having a first section hingedly connected at one end to the back of the board on an axis extending transversely and adjacent the lower edge thereof, the second frame section being pivotally connected to the other end of said first section for angular adjustment relative thereto; a brace rod carried by the free end of said second section and movable thereon to one position to operatively engage an upper portion of the board so as to support the same in spaced relation to said free end of said second section and to a second position to release said upper portion of said board to allow the same to rest directly upon the free end of said second section; and locking means extending between and operative to lock said sections in selected positions of angular adjustment, said board and frame being adapted for use upon a table or like support as a drafting board with the bottom edge of the board and said other end of said first section resting upon the table and with the upper portion of the board resting directly against the free end of the second section, or with the full length of the first section resting upon the table and the lower edge portion of the board disposed outwardly and below the edge of the table to increase the inclination of the board without changing the relative angular adjustment between said frame sections, said board and frame also being convertible to an easel by connecting said brace rod to the upper portion of said board, locating the lower edge of the board outwardly and below the edge of the table and relatively adjusting said frame sections to cause the board to assume a position substantially normal to the plane of the table and the first section supported thereby.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said brace rod consists of an element pivoted at one end to the upper free end of said second section and having a hook at its other end engageable through an eye fastened to said board.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said brace rod consists of an element pivoted at one end to the upper free end of said second section and having a hook at its other end engageable through an eye fastened to said board, said free end having a keeper hole for receiving said hook to frictionally retain said rod in a retracted, inoperative position.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said first frame section has opposite parallel legs connected by a cross member which i hinged to said board, and in which said second frame section has opposite parallel legs and a cross member at said free end, the ends of the corresponding legs of the sections being hingedly connected.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said first frame section has opposite parallel legs connected by a cross member which is hinged to said board, and in which said second frame section has opposite parallel legs and a cross member at said free end, the ends of the corresponding legs of the section being hingedly connected, said locking means comprising a bar pivotally connected to a said leg of said first section and having an elongated longitudinal slot at its free end, a clamping screw on a said leg of the second section and extending through said slot, and a clamping nut on said screw adapted, when tightened to clamp the bar against said second section.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 in which said slot is of a length permitting relative pivotal movement of said frame sections to a coplanar relation, said locking means being adapted to lock the sections in said coplanar condition to provide a rigid rectangular frame foldable fiat against the back side of the board; and interengaging retainer means of said board and said frame operative to releasably retain the board and frame in side-by-side relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 683,724 Carr Oct. 1, 1901 957,583 Tindall May 10, 1910 1,126,410 Daly Jan. 26, 1915 1,668,970 McAdam May 8, 1928 2,474,385 Vale June 28, 1949 

